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Golf Swing: Science Broken Down

Topic

Quick Golfer's Digest

In a golf swing, there are four main parts: the setup, back swing, downswing/impact, and finish. In order for the golf ball to take flight and in the right trajectory, many muscles work together in the body. In addition, systems within our body fire messages to process our actions and allow the golf swing to happen. Golf swings are a lot more complex than they appear.

Topic

Central Nervous System

Just the downswing of a golf swing happens in less than a third of a second. In that much time, the golfer must move their shoulders, torso, hands, legs, and wrists in a synchronized fashion downwards towards the ball and prepare for the next bundle of movements to hit the golf ball. For this to happen, the message to perform all these actions must go from the brain to muscle (nerve conduction velocity) and from the muscle to start moving the joints involved (electromechanical delay). The central nervous system (CNS) is the mastermind behind the golf swing and the movements involved.

The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord, which has many nerves. These nerves propagate electrical impulses to and from various body parts, sending the messages and creating movement. It all starts with the cerebral cortex (cerebrum). The cerebrum makes the decision to move the body, in this case the golf swing starting with the shoulders, and passes the message to the cerebellum. The cerebellum controls the coordination of movements, so when the organs in the ear detect movement from the head, the cerebellum facilitates the movement of the head, eyes, torso, and arms to coordinate with the movement of the shoulders. The three parts of the brain are each in charge of movement in certain parts of the body, and with the shoulders moving, neurons fire that send motor neurons to the rest of the body to create movement in the necessary body parts. This whole process repeats itself several times in order for the entire golf swing to complete.

Wrist Extensor Muscles

Types of Movements

Radial deviation, extension, and supination

Radial flexion and pronation

Ulnar deviation, pronation, and flexion

Topic

Elbow Flexors

Types of Movement

Radial Extension and deviation

Extension and pronation

Additional flexion

OuterHip

Topic

Types of Movements

Flexion to extension

Internal rotation with posterior pelvic tilt

Femur

Topic

Types of Movement

Flexion and extension

Tibialis Anterior

Topic

Types of Movement

Flexion and extension

Scapula/Deltoid

Topic

Types of Movements

Abduction, adduction, and rotation

Hyperextension

Spinal Column

Topic

Types of Movement

Extension and flexion

Right to left side rotation

Plantar/ Tarsal

Topic

Types of Movements

Supinationand Pronation

Plantar flexion

Topic

Tie In

Similar to golf, the body has specific regions dedicated to controlling parts of the body. Each part of the brain is responsible for parts of our body, like the cerebrum, which is broken into four other regions, controls the head, face, and upper limbs while the cerebellum controls the torso, lower limbs, and some upper limbs. In addition, the brain stem and spinal cord have specified regions to deliver messages to specific parts of the body. Just like this, when we move certain parts of our shoulder in golf, the ball can either move to the right or left at a certain angle, and if we bring our arms down in a specific direction, the ball will take a different ball path. Clearly, our body and golf have designated areas specialized in performing certain actions, and although they may seem very different at first glance, the body anatomy and golf have much more in common than we realize.

Topic

Citations

“Golf Swing Training Chart.” Chartex Ltd, www.chartexproducts.co.uk/

products/golf-swing-chart.

“The Modern Golfer Part I: the Biomechanics of Injury Prevention.” Sports

Injury Bulletin, 13 June 2019, www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/the-modern-

golfer-the-biomechanics-of-injury-prevention/.

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